Hand truck



H. VOLKMAN. HAND TRUCK.

APPLICATION -FILED APR. 30, 1921.

L41 6,427, Patent@ May 16, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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H. voLKn/IAN.v

HAND TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED APR.30. i921.

LMGAQK 4 Patented May 16,1922.

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INVENTOR ATTQRNEY n arras nerr 1:

rarer-ar HENRY VOLKMAN, OF MANCHESTER., NEW HAMPSHIRE.

HAND TRUCK.

Application led April 30, 1921. Serial No. 465,807.

To aZZ'wwm t may concern n y Be it known that l, HENRY VOLKMAN, a citizenl of the United States, residing at lilanchester, in the county of Hillsborough and State of N ew Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hand Trucks7 of which the following is a specification. i

The object of my present invention is the provision of a hand truck equipped with simple', durable and compact means through the medium of which the operator ofthe truck while positioned adjacent to the handles may either lock or unlock the truck wheels7 the locking of the wheels against rotation being advantageous during loading of the truck inasmuch as it precludes casual movement of the truck.v

To the attainment of the foregoing, the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitelyv claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a plan view of a truck constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure Q is a side elevation of the truck.

Figure 8 is a section taken in the plane indicated v the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking forwardly. l

Figure is an enlarged detail view showing the locking mechanism at t-he inner side of and adjacent to each wheel of the truck.

Figure 5 is a section through said mechanism.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the relative arrangement of the longitudinal handle rod and the enlargement thereon, and the keeper on the truck frame.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

among other elements the truck comprises si de bars 1 with handles 2 at their rear ends. The truck also comprises cross' bars 3 and 4 between the side bars 1, legs 5 fixedl to and depending` from the rear portions of the side bars 1, and a rest G, preferably of metal carried by the forward portions of the side bars 1.

Fixed to the forward portions ofthe side barsy 1 is an axle 7 provided at its ends with spindles 8 on which are mounted `ground wheels 9 with ratchet wheels 10 fixed with respect to their inner sides. Fixed to and rising from the axle 7 are standards 11, and journaled in the upper portions of the said standards 11- are rock shafts 12 with pawls l13 on their outerl portions and pendent cranks 11i on their inner portions. The said cranks 14; are provided with lateral inwardly directed apertured lugs 15a and threaded through said lugs 15 and thereby adjustably connected thereto are the forward threaded portions 16 of longitudinal rods 17 the said rods 17 being arranged in substantial parallelism with the side bars 1. v

Arranged transversely below the side bars 1 at a suitable distance in rear of the axle 7 is a resilient bar 18 that constitutes an important element of my invention. The said bar 18 comprises a vertically disposed intermediate portion 197 vertically disposed and apertured end portions 20 and horizontal intermediate portions 21, the latter being pivotally connected at 22 to the undersides of the side bars 1. The longitudinal rods 17 extend through the apertures in the bar portions 20 and are provided in front of said ar portions. 2O with enlargements of abutments Q3. rlhreaded on the rear end portions of the rods 17 are nuts 24, and interposed between the said nuts 24 and the bar portions 90 are coiled springs 25, supported by the rods 17 and designed to yieldingly hold the abutments 28 against the forward sides of the bar portions 2O so that rearward movement of the intermediate portion 19 of the bar 18 will be immediately attended by forward and upward movement of the pawls 13 to unlock the ground wheels 9 and render said wheels free to rotate for the movement of the truck from one point to another. It will be noted, however, that normally because of the end portions 20 of the bar 18 pressing forwardly against the abutments 23, the pawls 13 will be held vieldingly in engagement with the ratchetu wheels 10 so as i to effectively prevent rearward rotation of the ground wheels 9 without preventing forwardrotation of said ground wheels.

lCarried at the underside of the rear cross bar 4 of the truck is a keeper plate Q6. The said keeper plate 26 is disposed at about the angle illustrated'to the longitudinal center of the truck and is provided with an upright slot 27 and with a slot 28 which extends in the direction of the length of the keeper plate 26 and communicates at one end with the `apright slot 27. Connected to the bar 18 at about the center thereof and extending rearwardly from said bar 18 and through the keeper plate 26 is a handle rod, 29 provided with an enlargement 30 and with a hand grasp 31 in rear of said enlargement 30. Manitestly whenthehandle rod 29 is drawn rearwardly to rearwardly bend the intermediate portion 19 of the resilient bar 18, the pawls 13 will be lifted clear of the ratchet wheels 10, and when the handle rod 29 is positioned in the upright slot 27 of the keeper plate 26 with the enlargement 30 in rear of the said keeper plate 26, the pawls 13 will manifestly be retained outl of engagementwith the ratchet wheels 10. 1t will be noted, however, that when the handle rod 29 is moved out of the upright slot 27 and into the other slot 28, the enlargement 'JU wilLbe free tofmoveiorwardly and laterally ot the truck and in consequence the intermediate portion 19 of' the bar'18 will resume itsnormal state and by bending forwardly will enable the end portions 20 of the bar 18 and the coiled springs 25 to draw the longitudinal rods 17 rearwardly and thereby place the pawls 13 in yielding engagement with the ratchet wheels 10.

lt will .be apparent trom the foregoing that notwithstanding the practical advantagesot my novel truck as set forth in the foregoingthe truck is simple and strong in construction and is butlittle more expensive tha-ntrucks oit corresponding characterextent.

l have entered into a detailed description of the construction andrelative arrangement ot partsv embraced in the present and preterredembodiment oiy my invention in order to impart a tull, clear and exact understand'- ot' the rsaid embodiment. l do not desire, however, to be understood as confining inyselt to the said specitic construction and rela-- tive arrangement 0i parts inasmuch as inthe future practice ot the invention various changes and modifications may be made such as 'tall within the scope oit my invention as defined in my appended. claims.

Having described my invention, what l claim and desire'tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A truck comprising side bars, a cross bar interposed, between and fixed with respect tol-the rear portions oit said side bars, a keeperplate carriedzat the underside oi? said cross bar and disposedvat an angle to the longitudinal center of the truck andhaving an 'upright slot,y andalso having a slot communieating with and extending trom the firstnamed slot in the direction oit the length ot the plate, an axle carried by. said side bars and having spindles. ground wheels mounted on the said spindles and having ratchet wheels at their inner sides, standards carried by the aXleat the inner sidesot the ratchet wheels, rock shattsvjournaled in. said standards andy having pawls on their outer portions and-pendent cranks ontheir` inner portions, longitudinal rods connectedto and,ex-

silient bar andinterposed between the bar and rear abutments on the rods, and a longitudinal handle rod connected to and extending rearwardly from the intermediate portionV ot the resilient bar and through the slotted keeper plate and having enlargement disposed inrear oi said plate.

2. ln a truck the combination of a frame provided with an axle, ground wheels mounted on said aXle and having ratchet wheels at their inner sides, standards. on the axle, rock shafts journaled in said standards and having` outer pawls and innerl cranks, rods confnected to and extending rearwardly from the cranks and provided with abutments spaced from their rear ends, a resilient cross bar having an intermediate vertically disposed portion, horizontal portions at the ends of said resilient portion and pivoted to the trame, and verticallydisposed apertured end portions receiving the rods in rear of the abutments thereon, and coiled springs on the rods and interposed between the end portions ot the cross bar and rear abutments on the rods, whereby when the intermediate portion ot the cross bar is moved rearwardly the pawls will be lifted clear of the ratchet wheels and when the intermediate portion ot the crossbar is released the pawls will be placed in yielding engagement with the ratchet wheels.

3. The combination in a truck, of a wheel supported trame, ratchet wheels ixed with respect to the wheels ot the iframe, longitudinally movable rods, pawls connected with. and movable by said rods, a resilient cross bar carried by the trameand connected with the longitudinal rods, and means adjacent to the rear portion ot' the Jframe and under the control. or" thevoperator to bend the central portionot the resilient bar rearwardly and hold it against springing lforwardly.

4,. The combination in a trucll.' oi a wheeled trame, ratchet wheels carried by the. wheels ot the trame, pawls to cooperate with said ratchet wheelsresilient means carried by the trame and connected with the pawls, and

means connected with the resilient mean s' and y HENRY voLkMAN, 

